Meter.



A. BOWSER.

METER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, i915.

1,199,526. PatentedSept. 26,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

4 .4 TTOANEY A. BOWSER.

METER.

APPLICATION FILED APILIQ. IBIS.

1 1 99,526 Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- z snares rnrnn'r orricn AUGUSTUS BOWSEB, OF FORTWAYNE, HQTDIANA.

'nnrnn.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented gepto 26, 19116.

Application filed April 19, 1915. Serial Ho. 22,296.

prevent leakage occurring at points where the actuating mechanismextends to the exterior.

The above objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated inthe accompany ing drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device shown partly broken away andin section; Fig. 2- is an exterior end elevation of the meter; and Fig.3 is a detail view showing a plan of one of the flexible, inner heads.

Similar characters of reference indicate correspondinglparts throughoutthe several views and referring now to the same: (1) is a cylinder ateach end of which is a flange (2) and port opening (3). Within thecylinder is a piston (4) adapted to. be moved, longitudinally in thecylinder, and upon each side of the piston is an adjustable contactbearing (5) adapted to be car ried with the piston. At each end of thecylinder is a flexible internal head (6) consisting of a thin sheet ofmetal formed with a series of convolute corrugations (7 The said headsare held against the corresponding ends of the cylinder by means ofexternal non-flexible heads (8) that are clamped in place by means ofthrough-bolts (9) so as to hold the flexible internal heads between thecorresponding ends of the cylinder and the non-flexible external heads.Each of the heads (8) has upon its interior surface an annular face (10)against which the convolute corrugations of the flexible inner head mayrest when pressure within the cylinder bears against the head. Areciprocating contact bearing (11) extends through each of thenon-flexible outer heads (8) and bears against the outer face of thecorresponding flexible head (6) at the center thereof. A valve-case (12)is mounted above the cylinderand has communicating ports (13) with thecorresponding ports (3) at the ends ofthe cylinder, and also a dischargeport (14), and inlet port (15). A

valve 16) is arranged within the valve-case.

(12) and is adapted to be reciprocated so as to eflect communicationbetween one or the other of the ports (13) with the discharge port (it)accordingly as shifted from one of its positions to the other. The valve.shown is 5 the type commonly known and used in steam engineconstructions wherein a slide valve is employed. The inlet port (15) hasat all times communication with the interior of the valve-case (12) andtherethrough has communication with the ends of the cylinder through theports (13) and (3) when not obstructed by the valve (16 As a means foractuating the valve a' cylinder (17) is mounted adjacent the valvecasing and has therein a reciprocating piston (18) that is connectedwith the valve (16) by means of a connecting rod (19), stufing boxes(20) and (21)'being provided respectively for the cylinder andvalve-case through which the connecting rod operates. The piston (18) isdriven by means of air under pressure, introduced alternately in theends of the cylinder (17) through ports (22) that lead thereinto andalso at their opposite extremities into an air-chest (23). A valve (24)is arranged within the airchest and is adapted to controlthe admissionand exhaust of air to and from the ends of the cylinder (17). Theintroduction of air into the air-chest is through a port (25) leadingthereinto and an exhaust port (26) admitsof the outward passage of airfrom one end of the cylinder or the other accordingly as the valve (24)is shifted. The valve (2%) is actuated by means of its stem (26) whichis connected with a reciprocating rod (27) and the latter is supportedat its ends upon levers (28) that extend respectively from the ends ofthe cylinder (1) and have connection at their opposite ends with thecorresponding reciprocating contact bear- 11). The levers. (28) arepivoted in placed respectively upon opposite sides of the arm, affordthe latter more or less play between the nuts accordingly as the latterare adjusted upon the stem.

A counter (33) of any well known type, adapted to registerv cycles ofmechanical movement, is arranged in connection with the device. Theactuating arm (34) of the counter is connected with a lever (35) and alug (36) is fixed upon the rod (27 so as to move therewith and engageone end of the lever (35) and actuate the same as the. rod is moved.

In the operation of the invention fluid is introduced into the valvechamber (12) introduced through the port (25) into the forced outwardlywith the result that the lever (28) attached thereto is actuated. Therod (27 attached to the top of the levers (28) is reciprocated by saidlevers in one direction or the other accordingly as said levers becomeactuated. The movement of the piston (4) which is caused by the sup plyof fluid under pressure to one end of the cylinder, causes the fluidcontained in the othervend of the cylinder to pass therefrom through thecorresponding port and to be directed by the valve (16) into thedischarge port (14) whence it is conveyed to the desired point ofdelivery through a discharge pipe (38). The movement of the rod (27) andlug (36) fixed thereon has the effect of actuating the lever (35) so asto swing the arm (34) on the counter, thus registering one cycle ofmovement of the apparatus. The movement of the rod (27 has also theeffect of actuating the valvestem (26) through the arm (31), and thevalve (24) is thereby shifted so that air air-chest will enter thecylinder (17) at one end or the other accordingly as the valve isshifted, so that the piston (18) in the cylinder will be actuated withthe effect that the valve (16) in the 'casing (12) is shifted to itsopposite position with the result that the fluid becomes directed intothe opposite end of the cylinder, driving the piston (4) in the oppositedirection so that the fluid previously introduced into the cylinderbecomes expelled. The eflect of the pressure of the bearing (5) againstthe flexible inner head is that the corresponding reciprocating bearing(11). is

forced outwardly so as to actuate the lever,

attached thereto. The flexible heads vent leakage of fluid through theopenings in the non-flexible outer heads through which the reciprocatingbearings extend. It will be understood that the corrugated portion ofeach of the flexible heads rests against the face (10) of thecorresponding non-flexible head so that the pressure of fluid in thecylinder (1), while being effective in driving the piston throughout itsentire area upon one side, is only eifective in moving the centralportion of the flexible one of the reciprocating bearings, the otherreciprocating bearing and adjacent flexible head are forced inwardlyagainst the pressure of the driving fluid.

As the piston moves from one end of the cylinder to the other a definitequantity of fluid is expelled from the latter end, and the counter isthereupon actuated so that -the discharge of fluid is registeredthereby.

It is the intention that the cylinder (1) shall be of a size soproportioned that the discharge therefrom with each stroke of the pistonshall be in conformity with a standard unit of measurement. The stems ofthe contact bearings (5) are threaded in their connection with thepiston so that they may be adjusted therein and thus limit more or lessthe movement of the piston.v The guantity of fluid discharged from thecyliner at each stroke of the piston, can therefore be altered as may berequired.

What I claim is 1. In apparatus of the class described, a cylinderhaving. a port at each of its ends; a piston mounted in the cylinder andadapted to reciprocate therein; .a valvecase having inlet and dischargeports and also ports communicating respectively with the ports at theends of the cylinder; a valve in the valve-case for controlling the flowof fluid from the latter into and from the communicating ports; a fluidpressure actuated-mechanism having connection with said valve to drivethe same; a flexible inner head at each end of the cylinder; aninflexible head for securing each of the former heads to thecorresponding end of the cylinder; a reciprocating contact bearingextending through each-of the inflexible heads and bearing against theadjacent face of the corresponding flexible head; a contact bearingextending from each side of the piston adapted to bear against theflexible heads correspondingly at the ends of its strokes;

and a lever mechanism 1n connectlon wlth cylinder havin of the cylinder;a movable'piston in the cylinder having contact bearings extendingrespectively'from its ends ;a flexible head at each end'of the cylinder;an inflexible outer head at each end of the cylinder adapted to hold thecorresponding flexible head in position; a movable bearing adapted tocontact with the respective flexible heads upon the exterior thereof;and means in connection with the movable bearings and the controllingmeans for actuating the latter.

3. In mechanism of the class described, a cylinder having means inconnection with its ends for directing fluid to and from the same; amechanism for controlling. said means; a reciprocating-piston in thecylinder; a flexible head at each end of the cylinder closing the same;an external head having an annular bearing face adapted to support theouter portion of the ad acent flexible head; a contact bearing extendingthrough each of the outer heads and bearing' against the adjacent faceof the corresponding flexible head; a bearin extending from each side ofthe piston-a apted to contact with said flexible heads at the centerthereof; and means in connection with the former bearings and thecontrolling mechanism for actuating the latter.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a cylinder; a piston thereinhaving a contact bearing extending from each of its ends; a flexiblehead closing each end of I the cylinder; a supporting head for each ofthe flexible heads affording a bearing for the outer portion of thelatter; contact bearings adapted to be actuated respectively by theoutward movement of said flexible heads; means for directing fluid intoand from the respective ends of the cylinder; and means actuated by saidbearings for operating said directing means.

In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

V AUGUSTUS BOWSER. Witnesses MATHILDA Mama, WALTER G. BURNS.

